激情 (jī qíng) — passion; fervor; enthusiasm

Definition

激情 is intense, often short-burst passion or fervor (in love, art, performance). 热情 is warmer and steadier; 干劲 is drive for work tasks.

noun

passionfervorenthusiasm

激情。
Tā duì gōng zuò chōng mǎn le jī qíng.
He is full of passion for his work.
激情。
Guān zhòng bèi tā de jī qíng yǎn jiǎng dǎ dòng le.
The audience was moved by his passionate speech.
激情。
Zhè zhī yuè duì yǎn zòu dé hěn yǒu jī qíng.
This band plays with great passion.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

激jīintense

The 'intense' sense of 激 and the 'feeling' sense of 情 give strong, fervent emotion.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

氵敫激

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

敫

敫jiǎo激jī

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 激, the 氵 side marks water, and 敫 gives the sound jiǎo; the original sense is water swashing.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

青

Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Appears in